We Came at Bangladesh's Request on Teesta, Nothing More: Yao Wen

 

We Came at Bangladesh's Request on Teesta, Nothing More: Yao Wen

Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh, Yao Wen, has said that China's involvement in the proposed Teesta mega project is solely in response to Bangladesh's request, stressing that Beijing has no other agenda regarding the initiative.

He made the remarks while responding to questions from journalists during a media briefing at the Chinese Embassy in Baridhara, Dhaka, on Thursday morning.

The briefing was organized to discuss the recent official visit of Bangladesh's Prime Minister, Tarique Rahman, to China.

Opening the session, Ambassador Yao highlighted the significance of the Prime Minister's visit before taking questions from the media. He described the Teesta project as one of the key outcomes of the visit, noting that it is closely tied to the lives and livelihoods of millions of people living along the river in northern Bangladesh.

"At Bangladesh's request, China is ready to provide its fullest support for the project," he said.

Responding to a question about the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with a Chinese company on the Teesta project, Yao clarified that the earlier agreement was between a Chinese company and a Bangladeshi government agency. He emphasized that discussions have now advanced to government-to-government cooperation.

"Chinese companies can carry out surveys, and we will engage the best experts and scientists to conduct comprehensive studies. Proper surveys are essential before implementing such a large-scale project. The Chinese government is committed to working closely with the Bangladesh government to complete these surveys and move the project forward," he said.

When asked about concerns raised by experts regarding India's position on the project and whether it could succeed without adequate upstream water flow from India, the ambassador declined to comment on those issues.

"Those are separate matters and not China's concern. China has responded to Bangladesh's expectations and request," he said.

On the proposed economic corridor involving Bangladesh and Myanmar, Yao noted that the concept is not new.

"Fifteen years ago, China proposed the BCIM (Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar) Economic Corridor. While some progress was made, it did not advance as we had hoped. Bangladesh seeks greater regional connectivity, and so does China. I believe Myanmar also supports such cooperation," he said.

The ambassador added that China remains open to broader regional participation.

"We welcome other countries to join if they are willing. That decision rests with them. However, China is determined to move forward with an economic corridor involving Bangladesh and Myanmar," he said.

Addressing concerns over Myanmar's ongoing instability and its impact on establishing a land-based corridor, Yao suggested that maritime connectivity could serve as an initial alternative.

"In the first phase, connectivity through ports and sea routes can be considered," he said.

If you'd like, I can also rewrite it in the style of Reuters, AP, BBC, or The Daily Star.